The Remaining Warmth Of Fog Harbor Chapter 45

Searching for people thousands of miles away

The wind in the foggy harbor brought a salty coolness, rolling up Lu Wanheng’s sweaty rags on his forehead.Carrying a half-person-high canvas bag filled with thick missing person notices, a few spare paintbrushes and a badly worn sketchbook, she walked heavily out of the bus station in the last coastal town.This is the seventh city she has visited since leaving Wugang, and it is also the last place around Wugang where traces of Shen Zhiyi may be hidden – Chenghai.

As a woman, this journey across the city to find someone was a hundred times more difficult than she originally expected.Lu Wanheng used to be the eldest lady held in the palm of her family. She was driven around by luxury cars and served by servants. She had never even tried to carry heavy objects.But now, she was wearing a jacket that had been washed white, her trousers were stained with mud along the way, and the soles of her sneakers had been worn flat, and she could feel the hardness of the ground with every step she took.The shoulder straps of the canvas bag were deeply dug into the shoulders, leaving two purple marks. The back was already soaked with sweat and stuck to the clothes stickyly. It was blown by the sea breeze, causing waves of chills.

Instead of looking for accommodation immediately, she found a print shop first.The boss was a middle-aged man. When he saw the missing person notice template she handed over, he glanced at Shen Zhiyi’s photo, then looked her up and down, with a somewhat probing look in his eyes: “Looking for someone? Who is this girl to you?”

“He is a very important person to me.” Lu Wanheng’s voice was hoarse after a long journey, but still firm.She deliberately avoided the word “lover”. Along the way, she was too aware of the sharpness of gender prejudice – those disdainful glances, sinister sarcasm, and even malicious speculations had all pierced her heart like needles.

The boss said “Oh”, didn’t ask any more questions, and started printing quickly.The smell of ink filled the small shop. Lu Wanheng’s eyes felt slightly hot as he watched the smiling faces of Shen Zhiyi come out of the printer.In the photo, Shen Zhiyi still looks like she did before she got sick, wearing a light-colored dress, standing by the window of Wugang Studio, the sun falling on her face, with a slight pear dimple at the corner of her mouth, and her eyes as clear as a pool of spring water.That was the most precious look that Lu Wanheng kept deep in her heart, and it was also the only motivation that kept her going so far.

After printing the missing person notice, it was already three o’clock in the afternoon.Lu Wanheng paid the money, picked up the heavy canvas bag, and started running on the streets of Chenghai.She chose the areas with the highest flow of people – the market in the old city, the seaside walk, the community bulletin board, and the cultural and creative street where the studios are concentrated.Everywhere she went, she took out glue and a brush and carefully posted the missing person notice in a conspicuous place, fearing that it would be blown away by the wind or easily torn off by the cleaners.

In the old market in Chenghai, people are coming and going, and the sounds of hawking and bargaining are heard one after another.Lu Wanheng was standing in front of the bulletin board, lowering his head to apply glue when he was suddenly hit by a passing aunt. The glue can in his hand fell to the ground with a clang, and glue spilled all over the floor.”Don’t you have eyes when you walk?” Not only did the aunt not apologize, but she glared at her. After seeing the missing person notice in her hand, she came over and glanced at her again, “Hey, are you looking for a woman? Could it be that she had some abnormal relationship and she ran away?”

“It’s not what you think!” Lu Wanheng raised his head suddenly, his eyes were red, and his voice had an imperceptible tremor.She was most afraid of hearing such words, afraid that someone would maliciously speculate on her relationship with Shen Zhiyi, and afraid that someone would tarnish the pure and deep love.

“No? How could that nice girl run so far away for no reason?” The aunt refused, and the people around her also cast curious glances. There was inquiry, disdain, and gloating in those eyes.”I see, it’s because of your faults that people avoid you. Stop looking for me, it’s useless!”

Lu Wanheng clenched her fists, and her nails dug deeply into her palms. The pain kept her awake.She knew that there was no point in arguing with these prejudiced people and would only add to the pain.She bent down to pick up the glue can on the ground, wiped the glue off her hands, turned around and walked to the next bulletin board without saying another word.There were vague discussions behind her, pricking her back like a needle, making her steps become heavier, but she did not look back or stop.

She must keep looking, for Shen Zhiyi’s sake, and for the sake of the relationship between them that cannot be tarnished.

In the evening, the wind at the seaside became stronger and stronger, mixed with fine raindrops, which hit my face with a biting coldness.Lu Wanheng was still posting missing persons notices. The rain wet her hair and clothes, making her feel cold all over.Her physical strength was already exhausted, and the pain in her shoulders became more and more severe. Every time she raised her hand to post a missing person notice, she had to endure the excruciating pain.But she still persisted, one, two, three… until she finished posting the last missing person notice she brought, she leaned against the bulletin board and slowly slid to the ground, breathing heavily.

There was still half a bottle of mineral water left in the canvas bag. She unscrewed the cap and took a sip. The cold water slid down her throat, making her shiver.She took out her sketchbook from her bag, turned to a blank page, and began to draw the sea in the dim light of the street lamp.The raindrops fell on the sea, causing ripples in circles. The fishing boats in the distance were lit with lights, hazy and lonely.Her brush strokes were heavier than before, and her lines were trembling. After she finished painting, she wrote a line of small words in the corner: “Zhiyi, I am in Chenghai, but I still can’t find you. Are you okay?”

As the night got darker, Lu Wanheng found the cheapest bed and breakfast to stay.The room was small, with only a bed and an old table. The walls were covered with mold and there was a damp smell in the air.She didn’t wash up, just took off her wet coat and curled up on the bed.The physical exhaustion and the despair in her heart were intertwined, making her almost breathless.

Along the way, she experienced far more than gender bias and physical exhaustion.In the third city, in order to post a missing person notice, she walked alone in a remote alley late at night and met two men with evil intentions. Fortunately, she reacted quickly and took out the utility knife she carried with her, and frightened them away; in the fifth city, her backpack was scratched by a thief, and the contents insideSome of the cash and a photo of Shen Zhiyi were stolen, and she searched frantically on the streets until dawn without being able to find them. There were also countless late nights where she stayed in cheap B&Bs or Internet cafes, worrying about her own safety and Shen Zhiyi’s safety, often staying up all night.

The shadow of the family is never far away.Father Lu had sent people many times to persuade her to go back, and even threatened her, “If you persist in your persistence, I will force you back to Wugang.”Once, people sent by her father found the B&B where she was staying, blocked her door, and forced her to follow them.Lu Wanheng was pressed against the door, tears streaming down her face, but she still said stubbornly: “If I don’t go back, I won’t find any understanding, and I won’t go back until I die!” The stalemate lasted a whole night, and the other party saw that she was resolute and was afraid of making things worse, so he had to leave.

But these difficulties did not waver her.Her only support was Shen Zhiyi’s smiling face on the missing person notice, the couple’s bookmark she carried with her, and the hope that had never been extinguished in her heart.She always felt that as long as she visited every city around Wugang and posted enough missing person notices, she would be able to get a clue and find Shen Zhiyi.

Early the next morning, Lu Wanheng began his visit to Chenghai.She went to local art studios, cultural and creative stores, and bookstores. Every time she went to a store, she took out Shen Zhiyi’s photos and asked the shopkeeper patiently: “Have you seen this girl? Her name is Shen Zhiyi. She is from Wugang. She likes painting. She may come here to buy painting materials.”

Most shopkeepers would shake their heads, some would politely say “Never seen that”, and others would impatiently wave her away.Only a few shopkeepers will take a serious look at the photos, then shake their heads and say “Sorry, no impression.”Lu Wanheng did not give up. She visited all the studios and cultural and creative stores in Chenghai, and even went to surrounding towns, but still found nothing.

While posting the missing person notice, Lu Wanheng did not give up seeking help from the media.In every city, she would go to local newspapers and TV stations, hoping to use the power of the media to expand the scope of her search.But reality poured cold water on her time and time again.

At the newspaper office in the fourth city, after hearing her request, the editor who received her frowned and said, “Girl, it’s not that we don’t want to help you, it’s just that in your situation, there is no clear evidence of disappearance and there is not enough news value, so we can’t report it.”

“Why isn’t it newsworthy?” Lu Wanheng was so anxious that she almost shed tears. “She suffers from severe depression. It’s very dangerous to be out alone. Something could happen at any time. If you report it, maybe someone can provide clues!”

“Severe depression?” A trace of hesitation flashed in the editor’s eyes, and then he shook his head. “Girl, with all due respect, it is very common for people with mental illness to run away from home, and she left voluntarily. If we reported it, we might invade her privacy. Besides, what is your relationship with her? If they are ordinary friends, there is no need to go to such trouble; if… that kind of relationship, we can’t report it, and the impact will be bad.”

The four words “that kind of relationship” were like a cold sharp knife, piercing into Lu Wanheng’s heart.She knew the editor was referring to homosexual relationships.In this society that is still full of discrimination against same-sex marriage and love, their relationship is not only not blessed, but is even regarded as a “scandal” and cast aside by the world.

Lu Wanheng suppressed the grievance and anger in his heart, and choked up and said: “No matter what our relationship is, she is a life. She is in danger now. Can’t you help her?”

“Sorry, there’s really nothing we can do.” The editor’s tone was impatient, and he waved her away, “You’d better think of other ways.”

Lu Wanheng walked out of the newspaper office and stood on the crowded street, finally unable to hold back his tears.She didn’t understand why their feelings were not recognized just because they were of the same sex?Why is it so difficult to find a loved one in danger?

At the TV station in Chenghai, she also encountered the same rejection.After hearing her situation, the staff member who received her said directly: “We can’t handle this kind of thing. You should go to the police.”

“I called the police, but the police said that she left voluntarily and there was no evidence of disappearance, so the case could not be filed.” Lu Wanheng explained hurriedly.

“Then there’s nothing we can do.” The staff spread their hands and said indifferently, “The TV station’s resources are limited. What we want to report is news of more social significance. We can’t devote our energy to personal matters like yours.”

The repeated rejections were like basins of cold water, extinguishing the hope in Lu Wanheng’s heart.She stood at the door of the TV station, looking at the passing vehicles and pedestrians, her heart filled with endless despair.She didn’t know what else she could do, she didn’t know where to look for clues, and she didn’t know where Shen Zhiyi was.

In the last few days in Chenghai, Lu Wanheng visited almost every corner of the city.She went to the beach, park benches, and street cafes. Everywhere she went, she took out photos of Shen Zhiyi and asked people around her if they had seen her.Her voice was hoarse from shouting, and her lips were chapped and peeled, but she still persisted, repeating the same words over and over again: “Have you seen this girl? Her name is Shen Zhiyi, she is from Wugang, and she likes painting.”

But her response was always a shake of the head and silence.

On the day we left Chenghai, it was still raining lightly.Lu Wanheng was carrying an empty canvas bag and holding the last unposted missing person notice in his hand. He stood in the waiting hall of the bus station, looking at the gray sky outside the window, tears falling silently.

She has visited all seven cities around Fog Harbor.She posted tens of thousands of missing persons notices, visited hundreds of stores, sought help from dozens of media outlets, spent most of the cash she got from selling her assets, and experienced gender bias, security risks, physical exhaustion, and family threats, but she did not get any effective clues.

Shen Zhiyi seemed to have evaporated without leaving any trace.

The car slowly drove out of Chenghai. Lu Wanheng leaned against the car window, looking at the receding scenery outside the window, feeling dead in his heart.She didn’t know where to go next or how long she could hold on.The hope that was once was gradually wiped out by disappointment again and again, leaving only endless fatigue and despair.

She took out the couple’s bookmark from her pocket and gently rubbed the smooth wooden texture on it. The initial “S” of Shen Zhiyi’s name on the bookmark was already shiny by her touch.She remembered every bit of their time in Wugang, Shen Zhiyi’s gentle smile, their vows of love, and the determination in Shen Zhiyi’s letter that “from now on, we will live in peace and harmony, and never meet each other” in Shen Zhiyi’s letter.

Do they really want to be like this, forever separated from each other, with no possibility of seeing each other again?

As the car drove into Wugang, the familiar scenery came into view.Lu Wanheng did not go home or return to the Lu Group, but went directly to Shen Zhiyi’s old studio.The studio door was locked and covered with dust, and a long-expired rental notice was posted on the window.

She sat on the steps at the door of the studio, hugging her knees, looking at the familiar streets in front of her, tears pouring out of her eyes like broken beads.She took out her mobile phone and dialed the number she had already memorized by heart – it was Shen Zhiyi’s original mobile phone number, but there was still a cold tone on the other end of the phone: “The number you dialed has been shut down.”

She opened WeChat again, clicked on the dialog box that had never been updated, and entered a line of words: “Zhiyi, I’m back, but I still can’t find you, what should I do?”

After typing, she silently deleted it and then closed WeChat.She knew that Shen Zhiyi would never see these words.

As the sun sets, the sky over Wuggang is dyed orange.Lu Wanheng stood up and patted the dust on his body. There was a hint of fatigue in his eyes that he had never seen before, but also a hint of unnoticeable determination.She didn’t give up and couldn’t give up.

After visiting all the cities around Fogang, she went further afield; posting missing persons notices and asking for help from the media didn’t work, so she found other methods.As long as Shen Zhiyi is still alive, as long as she has breath, she will keep looking.

She turned around and left the studio, her back thin but upright, disappearing into the increasingly foggy night.The wind in Fog Harbor blew again, carrying a salty coolness and a faint hope.She didn’t know that thousands of miles away in Qingchuan, Shen Zhiyi was sitting on a rock by the sea, drawing the fog of Fog Harbor and drawing her profile.Thousands of mountains and rivers separated them, and they were separated by missed moments again and again, but the love buried deep in their hearts still exuded a faint residual warmth in the darkness.

But Lu Wanheng didn’t know at that time that this residual warmth would eventually dissipate completely in the near future, leaving only endless regrets and eternal longing.

Banxia novel, a lot of fun